My longtime friend and colleague Bob Bly wrote a note about the use of listicles (numbered lists) in marketing copy and editorial content.

He points out that they can work quite well, for 3 reasons: They are easy to read, easy to write, and the number in the headline arouses the reader’s curiosity. However, he says, since the rise of the internet, their use has exploded. And as a result, they don’t pack the punch they did decades ago, when they stood out from most of the copy being written back then.

His advice? Use them… but infrequently.

“Use numbered lists in your copy where they fit best,” Bob says, “for example, presenting a group of disparate product advantages. But in other promotions, there are many headline formats that can be more powerful and attention-getting…. Click here to sample a few dozen alternatives.” ​

As always, Bob is right.

I have an additional thought: Listicles are good if you are looking for clicks, but single-topic essays are right when you want to convert someone to a follower.